Goodbye Grumpy Mom: Say Hello To Renewed JoySample

WAKING UP 

When I read Mark 13 recently, it challenged me to think about my comforts. This passage is about the end times, and it gives an illustration of a man who goes on a journey and leaves the servants in charge, commanding them to stay awake ready for his return. Verse 33 says, “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.” I was intrigued by what exactly it means to “keep awake.” I mean, yes, I get that we are to live with an awareness of eternity. But what does that look like in everyday life? 

Here’s what Matthew Henry’s commentary says: “Our great care must be that, whenever our Lord comes, he do not find us sleeping, secure in ourselves, off our guard, indulging ourselves in ease and sloth, mindless of our work and duty, and thoughtless of our Lord’s coming.” I shudder a little as I think about how my comfortable life is such a focal point for me. If it’s too cold, I grab a sweater. If it’s too hot, I crank down the AC. If my kids are yelling, I try to get us back to Comfort Level 10 as soon as possible. I’m not recommending a ban on indoor climate control, but it’s concerning that on many days, comfort is my singular mission. 

I think what sets us back as we strive to live in expectant hope of eternity is feeling so comfortable on earth that we forget this world is only temporary. We end up spending our time finding just the right curtains for our tents instead of inviting everyone we know to the housewarming party of all housewarming parties in heaven. Loving our lives is not a bad thing, but the depth of love is directly proportional to the depth of devastation when the stream of comforts shuts off. And the amount we depend on earthly comforts is proportional to the amount of grumpiness we feel when we lose them. 

Will we be shocked when the wind knocks over the walls of our tent? Will we let it send us spiraling into a pool of tears, or will we keep a heavenly perspective and remember that this is only a tent? 

The reality is, we can’t be obsessed with God’s purposes and our own comforts at the same time. One will inevitably take priority.